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I simply couldn’t let summer come to a close without taking one honest to goodness stab at dairy free ice cream. And I’m not talking about a stab that kind of sort of tastes like ice cream but still makes me long for the real thing. I’m talking about the “holy mother of Mary that’s the best dang ice cream I’ve had in a long time and I demand proof to the contrary that it’s dairy free” kind. That’s what I aimed for. No less would suffice. And honestly? I’m still pinching myself to make sure I’m not crazy, but dag gone it, I think I’ve done it. This one’s a winner. You know you’ve done something right when your child who can still eat dairy actually requests that you brew up another batch of the milk free version.
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These past few days were busy ones for the oldest child in our family. On Friday Nicholas partook in his first ever holy communion and today, he celebrates the milestone of turning eight years old. It never ceases to amaze me how fast time can pass you by. One minute you’re holding this beautiful little bundle of joy in your arms and the next, he’s half way through elementary school and showing signs of independence you never knew he had.

The boys and I went strawberry picking this past weekend. It’s one of the main springtime events that Alex, my middle child, looks forward to. I’ll be honest, I look forward to it as well. There is nothing more tantalizing then a freshly picked strawberry hitting your mouth for the first time each spring. Last year the berries were gargantuan and plenty. This year it seems the secret is out. The crowds were en mass on Saturday and the fields were a bit picked over. Despite the conditions, we won’t be deterred. There is still plenty of picking to be had and Alex is demanding a second go at the task. He and I plan to return in the upcoming weeks once the subsequent round of berries have had a chance to ripen.

I must admit that Valentines Day sneaked up on me this year. It wasn’t until last night that I realized how close we actually are to the big event and what little work I had done so far to prepare. Heck, in this house the school party preparation alone is a multi-hour endeavor.

As a result, my Sunday evening was officially sucked into the Valentine vortex of cards, cookies and candy. Cards for the boys classes, candy for the school time masses, cookies for the parties and a holiday dinner menu to plan and prepare for said mom and dad. All that being uttered, I couldn’t let the holiday madness escape my grasp without leaving at least one sweet treat in it’s wake. It is, after all, a day to celebrate love. Love of family, love of friends and most notably, love of dessert.

My apologies in advance to all the hard core Wisconsin fans in the audience (myself included), because today I’m jumping on the Ohio band wagon with a little shameless promotion to one of my all time favorite Christmas treats; the almighty buckeye. And no I don’t mean the nut, although I can definitely be a little nutty at times; just ask anyone that knows me. I’m talking about a flawless little round ball of sheer peanut butter and chocolate bliss that is assured to bring a feeling of holiday jubilence to any set of lips it touches.

These no-bake edible gems are simple to make and completely customizable. Why stick solely with chocolate and peanut butter when you can sprinkle in a few toffee bits? How about replacing the chocolate altogether for butterscotch (my personal favorite) or, if you can track a bag down, cinnamon chips? If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, break out the cashew or almond butter for a whole new flavor experience. Make large batches and freeze some for later. Share with friends and acquaintances for an inexpensive, deliciously sweet holiday gift – if you can keep from eating them all yourself that is.

Fashion your own batch in a snap. Simply whip together a little nut butter of choice, a spoonful or two of cream cheese, a little powdered sugar and some vanilla.

Roll into balls and let them chill out in the fridge or freezer for about 30 minutes.

Once they’ve cooled, dip into the coating of your choice and allow them to harden. I used a spoon to dip, but you could also jab a toothpick into the top of a cold nut ball and submerge them that way.

No worries, I’m still a Wisconsin girl at heart. Now my sweet tooth is another story. You can find that hanging out with all the buckeyes across the Midwest border.

Ingredients:

*Optional: Add a handful toffee chips into the melted chocolate and/or sprinkle over the top. Replace chocolate with butterscotch or cinnamon chips. Experiment and have fun!

Directions:

Beat together the first five ingredients. The mixture will be a bit dry and crumbly.

Using about a tablespoon at a go, roll the dough into balls and set on to a cookies sheet lined with parchment.

Allow 30 minutes in the fridge or freezer to chill.

Melt the chocolate either over a double boiler or in the microwave (I run the microwave for 45 seconds a go and stir after each interval. Quit when the chocolate is about 2/3 melted. If you keep stirring after you pull it out, it will melt the rest of the way and not get too hot.).

Using a spoon, a skewer, or a toothpick, dip each of the balls into the chocolate, leaving a small bit of the top uncovered and place back on the parchment to dry and harden.

Not to make my snicker doodle cupcakes feel bad about their place in the culinary world or any such thing, but today I had really, really wanted to post my insanely delicious recipe for lobster bisque. If only I could find the recipe. Seriously, if you all saw how crazy I ran this blog you’d wonder how anything gets done. A recipe stashed here, one written down over there (on the back of my child’s homework notebook no less)… my organization skills need some genuine guidance if any ever did.

So in the interim of searching, I’m putting up a filler (and a pretty tasty one at that) to cover for my lack in management prowess. Feel free to oogle over these fantabulous cupcakes and pay no attention to the crazy lady in the corner rifling salaciously through random paper files in search of her prized seafood soup recipe.